Leopard Gecko And Loss Of Appetite

In captivity, the average life span of a leopard gecko is around 15 years. But, in the wild, the gecko is known to live for 20 or more years without any problems. If you want your pet leopard gecko to live a long and healthy life, you should take care of it properly and ensure that it is always healthy.

Leopard gecko and loss of appetite tend to go hand-in-hand when the gecko has a health problem. If you can identify the common health problems that lead to loss of appetite, you can take preventive measures.

Leopard geckos can lose their appetite when they have parasites. These parasites can be internal or external. The main reason for parasites are dirty living conditions and keeping too many geckos in a small tank. The external ones are visible as dark colored spots on the body. You can clean the gecko and disinfect the tank to stop the external parasites from attacking it again. However, it is the internal parasites that a leopard gecko is more susceptible to. The main signs of internal parasites are loss of appetite, losing weight, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting and stools tinged with blood. If you suspect the gecko is having internal parasites, take it to the vet immediately.

When the digestive tract of the gecko is blocked with solid food as well as semi solid food, it leads to a condition known as impaction. This can be life threatening. If you notice your gecko having loss of appetite, looking bloated and vomiting, it could be due to impaction. This usually occurs when the gecko is fed large-sized insects or when it ends up consuming the substrate in the tank. Also, if the tank has a low temperature, it hinders the gecko's digestive process leading to impaction.

Obesity is another problem that can ultimately result in loss of appetite in a leopard gecko. Usually when the gecko is fed too many waxworms and mealworms, it will put on weight fast and become obese. This will be followed by abrupt loss of weight and having no appetite. Make sure that you supplement the gecko's diet with protein supplement and vitamin supplement to treat obesity.

If the gecko suffers from mouth rot, it will not be able to eat. This is a painful condition to have and is caused due to bacterium, virus, fungus or parasite infection. The gecko will have swollen mouth, bleeding gums and no appetite. This can occur due to unsanitary living conditions, force feeding, low tank temperature and poor diet lacking vital nutrients.